Cassette



June 13, 1950 Filed Aug. 6, 1945 0. M. SUMMERS CASSETTE 3 Shets-Sheet 1 I l 2 I 64 I II 26 i d I I Q 24 L Q v \J I r L 8O .8 To 74 28 Q F A4 I k INVENTOR & 2O s'rro M. JuMMERJ B WWW 3 o ATTORNEYS June 13, 1950 o. M. SUMMERS 2,511,383

CASSETTE Filed Aug. 6, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet z v INVENTOR OTTO M.. SUMMERS BY \44 30 Wm WM ATTORNEYS June 13, 1950 o. M. SUMMERS 2,511,333

CASSETTE Filed Aug. 6, 1945 a sheets-sheet 3 AT TORNEYS Patented June 13, 1950 CASSETTE Otto M. Summers, Abington, Pa., assignor to The W. W. Boes Company, Dayton, Ohio, 2. corporation of Ohio Application August 6, 1945, Serial No. 609,126

16 Claims. 1

This invention relates to photographic equipment and, particularly, to cassettes adapted for holding lengths of film.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved cassette for receiving long strips of film and excluding light from the said film.

Another object is to provide an improved cassette construction which is locked in its closed position so that there is no chance of the film Within the cassette being accidentally exposed to the light.

Still another object is to provide a cassette having means operated by the film for opening and closing the cassette.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a cassette comprising telescoping tubular members which are sealed together and which have openings adapted to register to permit the film to be introduced or to be removed from the cassette or to be moved out of register in order to seal off the film within the cassette from light.

Another object is to provide a film magazine or cassette which is so arranged that the emulsion portion of the film which is to receive an image is prevented from coming in contact with any portion of the mechanism which would cause scratches in the film coating.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent upon reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a camera showing the location therein of the film magazine or cassette of this invention;

Figure 2 is a disassembled perspective view of a part of the magazine or cassette of this invention;

Figure 2A is a view like Figure 2 and showing the remainder of the magazine.

Figure 3 is an assembled perspective view of the cassette;

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the cassette in the plane of the film receiving aperture thereof;

Figure, 5 is a plan section taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 4 showing the cassette in itsopened position;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view showing the cassette as it is being closed;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing the cassette completely closed;

Figure 8 is an elevational view showing the film passing into the cassette during the winding operation;

Figure 9 shows the film at the start oi the closing operation of the cassette;jand

cylinder 50.

Figure 10 is a plan section taken substantially along the line Ill-Ill of Figure 4.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a camera l0 having a lens system at l2 adapted for throwing an image on the film indicated at l4 which is unrolled from a holder or magazine at l6 onto a second holder at [8.

The magazines are ordinarily called cassettes and are adapted for receiving several frames of film as a continuous strip and for excluding light from the said film until it is placed in a camera. Then the cassette is opened and the film is threaded through the camera to be withdrawn therefrom after the camera is closed and operated.

The construction of the cassettes of this invention is more particularly shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 wherein it will be seen that there is an outer shell generally indicated at 20, a spool generally indicated at 22, an inner shell or barrier generally indicated at 24, a closure cap 26 and a pin 28 for locking the film to the spool.

Th outer shell 20 comprises a tubular member having an inwardly turned flange as at 30 at the lower end thereof on which the spool 22 sets as at 32, this providing a light excluding joint for protection of the film.

The wall of the shell 20 is apertured at 34, the aperture having an undercut portion 36 therein so that the film which enters or leaves the cassette touches only at the edges of the aperture 34 while the center or coated part passes over the undercut 36. On the side of the aperture 34 opposite the undercut 36 there is a pair of outwardly turned ears 38 which form apertures for receiving a rod 40 which carries a latch plate 42 and which has a bent end 44. A spring 46 continuously urges the rod 40 to move the latch plate 42 into the aperture 34.

The cars 38 also operate as lugs to cooperate with a fixed member when the cassette is being filled to retain the outer shell stationary.

The inner shell or barrier at 24 comprises an outer portion 48 and an inner portion 50 which are suitably permanently secured together when assembled as by welding, soldering, brazing, etc. The inner part 50 consists of a cylindrical member having an aperture 52 therein which has the adjacent notches 54 and 56 at opposite ends thereof. The notches 54 are for the purpose of receiving the edge of the film which passes to the inside of the inner shell to be wound on the spool 22. The notches 56 are for the purpose of receiving a pair of lugs 58 which are carried on a spring plate 60a which is secured to the inside of the The lugs 58 lie in the path of the sprocket holes to be found in the usual type film and are of the same length, in the direction of the film, as the sprocket holes but are of greater width transversely of the film.

In the film contemplated for use in connection with this cassette a pair of opposite sprocket holes at the end of a predetermined number of frames of film will be punched out to asize 'whicnwill receive the lugs 58 so that as the film is wound into the cassette, these enlarged sprocket holes en; gage the lugs 58 at the proper time to turn the inner shell 24 within the outer shell 20 automatically to close the cassette, the outer shell being held at this time by the engagement of its lug 38 with a fixed abutment.

The outer portion 48 of the inner shell assembly consists of a, cylinder havinganaperture 60 therein adapted to register along one edge. with the aperture 52 in the, cylinder 50 but to'extend beyond the other edge of the aperture 52 so that thelsaid aperture fifi extendsithrough abouti2l2 of arc. Adjacent: the. last mentioned-edge ofthe aperture 60 is a cutout 'tz in the sleeve flfl which isonthe same level when the cassette-is-assembled asthetlatch'plate 42 and which iszadapited for. registration :-with the latchplatei lz: when 'the cassette is closed.

The upper end of the sleeve48 is =flanged inwardly as atfi l to' a shape similar-tothat' of ithe flange-30 of theoutershellassembly:"-The fiange i fi lengages the spool at" 55 to form: a, light' excludingflseal'at the upper end of the 'said spool.

Av springplate 68 is adaptedto rest on' the flange 64 to force the innersh'ell assembly downwardly against the spooland the spool downwardly against the 'fiange BiJ. The-spring 68' is held in'place by the cap 26 which isreceivedin anundercutlfl on the outer shell assembly. When the spool is-placed within the outer shell, the inner shell is-put in place; the spring ='plate 68 is placed on' ton of the inner shell,"ari'd the cap 26 is placed over the undercut ll!and 'is're- "tained in place by being machinedto a' press fit; Optionally, soldering or-some-o'thenperma- -nent method of attaching may beemployedfiThe spring plate 68 also provides for a pre'determined amount of friction for brakingzthe spool an'dfor =retaining the shells in' their respective positions, The spool22 comprises a weritinal bore 12 and an opening 14' through 1 which" the end of -a film may be inserted into the borelfiv Adaptedto be {closely received :within' the bore "52 13 131116 plunger or pin 28 which is grooved at lfi for receivinga spring ring 80. The plungenzfi has a tapered portion adjacent the upper -endas at BZ- -an'd a knurled knob at sfli Inorder to secure theend 'of afilm to the spoblgtheplunger-Ztl is removed and the end of the film is passed through-the opening '14 into the bore 12. The plunger is then replaced; the spring ring Mseridng to-as"sist in retaining the plunger in' place; andthe tapered portion-"82 servingto form a iightex'cluding' barrier. :In' order to provide a: means for rotating :the spool for 'drawing'zfilm into. the cassette the spool --may: c.ompriseadeeycflfi .at the lower endithereof -=which' may be engagedabw any suitahle'wrench. "'vThe'relativerpositions'of the'zinneri andputer .shellsuimmediatelyiafter. receivin'githe end'of a is;illustrated Figures 5 and 8. "a'Ihese' views, the-strip" of film entering -with'zthe perforated-edge 'irr-engagementcwith the :1ugs1'58 and'the end secured within the spool by the plungerif28; It:wil-l'-be noted that the usual sprocket: holesu59: pass over the' lugs 58, but-' that the holes 6| are large enough to receive the lugs.

By rotating the spool in a clockwise direction film is wound thereon until the holes 5| register with the lugs 58. When this occurs the lugs fall into the enlarged sprocket holes and the inner shell assembly commences to be driven by the 151m. In ;order for the lugs properly-to engage thefilm they are formed to a greater length than loflwill pass under the outer shell and are mounted on the aforementioned spring plate 60a. Then, 7 inzorder to cause the lugs to pass under the outer shell there is provided at the edge of the aperf -ture3.5 *a-bevel 88 which will cam the lugs 58 lo-"downwardly asshown in Figure 6.

Continued rotation of the spool beyond its i'ililigure Grposition-causes the inner shell assembly to continue to rotate until it reaches its Figure 7 position. At this time the cutout 62 registers with the latch plate 42. and the spring 45 associated withthe lattercauses it to drop into locking engagement with the 'said'cutout.

In. order to limitrotation .of, the inner shell assen' ibly-to between its'full open position and full 5 closed position, the :outer shell .20 hasxmounted in the fiangetflthereof a stop pin 99 which .lies inthe path of a notch 92 in the lower edge of the inner ,shell assembly. .The .notch 92 extends around the .,.inner shell assembly through the amount of arc necesary to permit movement thereofirom full open to full. closed. position.

.Thus when .the.. cassette is .closed to .permit the latch plate 42' to fall intolthe. cutout.6.2,. the

stop ,pin 9.0,alsoabutsltheledgeof. thenotch 92 sdthat theinner shelLassembly, 24. is,.positively locked ,in ,place. relative to. theouter-shell.

. lthwill. .be. .noteid...th'ativ when the... cassette is, in

its closedrandlocked position. theaperture 6D in m ,the. .outer ,portion. oflthe inner shell assembly p sqvidesa spacebetweenthe inner shellzassembly .and.outenshellewithin. which the. end of the film .liesu, v..'Ihu,s,: there.-..is-,no binding: .betweenthe .shells whenpthey aremoved. from opento closed positionor-viceversa.

a In. order .to .unlock .the linner shell: to-.permit: it

to be opened when it .-;is;.-placed in a-camerathe zbenteend fOf'ztherod 4 0 may-be-.turned to moveithe vlatch{plate 42; out of the cutout-62 and theend of the film pulled.0ptionally;-the-rod 40 together .withvthe: latchplate, 4-2:;may be "moved axially to movextherlatch plate 42- away :from the'rcutout 62 to release the inner shellatassembly.

Itewill'be. rseen :that'rcassettes constructed ao- 15 cordingito this:invention-zarezperfectly lightzexcluding when closed; are positively and automatically locke'd'wherrmoved'into closed position; and when used withiifilmrxpunched'according to this-zinvention,--:and mave -closing, locking and .1 30 opening means operated by the movement of the film to and-from the cassette. Cassettes of the 'improvedsconstruction of this invention are relatively easy to manufacture and assemble and havevlong life; Liikewise thelight barriers con- 85 sisting. of :metal tometalcontacts' and tortuous passages are not subject to wearing out and failure: as are lightbarriers consisting of fabric materials such as velvet.

ItL-will be understood that various modifications and arrangementsin structure could bemade without 'departing'irom the spirit of my invention and; accordingly, II- desire to comprehend such modifications and substitutions of equivalents as -maycbe considered to come within the scope "1-5 of the appended-claims.

; I claim: f -.1

1. In a film carrying cassette having a spool and a shell with a film. receiving aperture enclosing said spool; a barrier movable across said aperture to exclude light from the inside of said cassette; and means for positively engaging said film. and barrier whereby the movement of the film into said cassette moves said'barrier into its light excluding position,'said means being disengageable only when said barrier is returned to its aperture opening position.

2. In a film carrying cassette having a spool and a shell with a film receiving aperture enclosing said spool; a barrier movable across said aperture to exclude light from the inside of-said cassette; means carried by the barrier adapted for positive engagement with said film for moving the barrier into its light excluding position by the movement of the film; and stop means-for stopping said barrier in its closed position, said stop means also stopping movement of said film.

. 3. In a film carrying cassette having a spool and a shell with a film receiving aperture enclosing said spool; a barrier movable across said. aperture to exclude light from the inside of said cassette; lug means carried by said barrier for engagement with marginal cut-outs in the film for operating the barrier by the movement of the film; and yielding means for urging said lugs against the film.

4. A film holding cassette comprising an outer shell, a barrier movably mounted within the outer shell, an aperture in said shell adapted for passing film; means operated by the film for moving said barrier across said aperture; and means for positively lockin said barrier in its aperture closing position.

5. In a film carrying cassette; a spool; a shell within which said spool is rotatably mounted;

an aperture in said shell for admitting fllm to and from said spool; a barrier movable to close said aperture, said aperture comprising a central notch whereby the film in its movement to or from said spool is engaged along the edge portion thereof only; means on said barrier responsive to the movement of the film to and from said cassette for operating said barrier.

6-. In a film carrying cassette; a shell memher having an aperture for receiving film; a barrier member movable within said shell for closing said aperture; cooperating abutment means on said members adapted to halt the same in one position with the aperture of the shell closed by the barrier and, in the other position, with the aperture open; latching means adapted automatically for latching said members in their aperture closing position; and means on said barrier for positively engaging the film carried by said casette and responsive to movements of said film to and from said cassette for actuating said barrier between its two operative positions.

'7. In a film carrying cassette; a spool adapted for receiving film; telescoping sleeve means mounted about said spool; said sleeve means having apertures therein adapted selectively to be moved into registration for passing film or, to be moved out of registration for excluding light from said cassette; said apertures comprising a relieved central portion whereby the film is engaged by the edge thereof only during its passing; and lug means carried by one of said sleeve means adapted for relatively moving said sleeve means by said film during its movement.

8. In a film carrying cassette; an outer shell open at one end and having an inwardly extendmg. flange on the other end; a film holding spool adaptedv for being inserted into said outer shell and for engaging said flange; an inner shell adapted for being closely received within said outer shell having .one end open and the other end thereof inwardly'flanged for engagement with the opposite end of said spool; film receiving apertures in said shells; cooperating abutment means carried by said shells for permitting relative rotation thereof between a position where said apertures register and a position where said apertures are out of register; cooperating latch means carried by said shells for positively retaining the same in said last mentioned position; and means operated by the film as it is drawn into said cassette for moving said shells into their latched position. I

9. In a film carrying cassette; a spool for holding film; telescoping shells adapted for being rotatably mounted about said spool and forengaging the same on opposite ends in light exeluding relationship; film receiving apertures in said shells adapted for being moved into light excluding relationship for completely closing said cassette or, into register for permitting film to be supplied to or taken from said spool; means operated by the film during its movement into or out of said cassette for accomplishing said movements; abutment means carried by said shells for stopping the same in said positions; and latch means selectively operable for positively retaining said shells in their cassette closing position or, for unlocking said shells to permit them to be moved into said aperture registering position.

10. In a film carrying cassette; a film holding spool; telescoping cylindricalshell means havingtheir opposite ends flanged and adapted for rotatably receiving said spool between said flanged ends; yielding means continuousl urging said flanges against the ends of said spool for excluding light from the interior of said cassette; apertures in said shells adapted for being moved into register to permt film to be transferred to and from said spool and, to be moved out of register for completely closing off said cassette; and means operated by the film as it is wound upon said spool or removed from said spool for automatically accomplishing said movements.

11. In a film carrying cassette; a spool; telescoping sleeves mounted about said spool having apertures therein adapted for registration to admit film to or from said spool, said sleeves being relatively rotatable for moving said apertures out of registration to exclude light from the interior of said cassette; the inner of said sleeves comprising lug means adapted for engagement with the film for moving said sleeves relatively from said aperture registering position to said light excluding position; and latch means selectively movable into effective or ineffective position for retaining said sleeves in said last mentioned position.

12. In a film carrying cassette; a spool adapted for receiving and holding the end of a film to be wound thereon; telescoping sleeves mounted about said spool; yielding means continuously urging said sleeves into braking and light excluding engagement with opposite ends of said spool; apertures in said sleeves adapted for registration to permit the supply of film to and from said spool; said sleeves being rotatable relatively to move said apertures into position to exclude light from the interior of said cassette;

rug means yildalbly earned by:- the inner 'orlsam sleeves'iadap'ted for fengagement'fwithithe edge portion'of the 'filmffor brin'ginig about the relativeim'ovement "orsaid sleeves in'bntn'directions; and 'l'atch means 'automaticany'bpera'ble for locking said sle'eves' in their light-excluding b'osition and Selectively r'riovabl' iritO'efictiVe Oi' i'neficti've" position. U l I v w 131111 a film carrying cassette; a spool;' outer and inner shell member's mounted ibout; said m m 'theih ien x md relationship on opposite, ends thereof; japertures in said shells adapted toibe moved into registration for V admitting film "to and fromj said spool and, to be moved out o f registration for excluding light from the inside of the cassett e,;thef inner of said shells comprisingtelescopicallyarranged cylindrical members, the inner of which comprises said aperture and the outer of which comprises a recess extending a substantialdistance around said innershell beyond said aperture; means operatedt-by'the movement of the film for moving the inner shell to close the cassette,- the aforementioned recess providing a space for receiving the end of the film; and latch means comprising-a recess in the outer member of said inner shell and a latch member on 'said' outer shell adapted for; engagementwhen the cassette is closedto retain the shells in their relative positions; I v

14'.- In combination-with a cassette comprising a spool; and a shell member mounted about said spoolhaving an aperture adapted for passing film; and a barrier member movable to close or open 'said aperture, and comprising lug means; strip film mounted on said'spool and overlying said lug means and com rising aperture means adapted' forenga'gem'ent withsa icl'lug means 'for relatively moving said'members in at least one 7 8 direction as the film is drawn into or out-from the cassette.

15.In'combination with a cassette w'mcmem prises a shell having an aperture'for' passing fil a light barrier movable across said aperture-tor excluding light from' the inside of said cassette:

and comprising lug means extending' iritoi said aperture; strip film carried by said cassette and overlying said lug 'means' and having aperture means of a size for receiving said lug' means'and' located to engage the same to move 'said'balfier' into light excluding "position as the film is dravvn into theca'ssette. v

16. In 'a film carrying cas's'ette having aspect and a'sh'ell with a film receiving apefture encidv ing'said spool; abarrier movable arosss 1d= aperture 1:0 exclude light 'fi'on'ithe' inside of d cassette; means o erated by the'film for mov ng said "barrier into its light exeiuding' o'sitien'; stop means for halting both 's'a'id barrier "a'ncffil'm' Nui'nber v 7 Name" I Date 1, 223332 4 Akeley Apr. 17, 1917' 1,499,941 Marette; July 1;;1 9 24 1,542,935 lVlihal'yi. Sept. 0, 1227 2,213,776 Walter Sept. 3; 1940' FOREIGN PATENTS 7 Number 7 Country hat I 161,626 Great Britain Apr. 11', 192i 

